Chile, a long ribbon of land lying between the high peaks of the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, running over 4,500 Kms., along the south - west coast of South America, with an area of 756,946 square Kms, is comparatively smaller than Brasil and Argentina but nonetheless larger than France and some European countries. With its never more than 180km wide, it is hard to imagine that such a small country can boast such peaks (some over 20,000 feet high) snow - capped volcanoes, valleys, deserts, fjords, lakes, and glaciers. 

Chilean borders are: Peru and Bolivia in the extreme north, Argentina all along the crest of the Andes on the east, the deep and blue Pacific Ocean on the west and the Antartic region down south.

Climates varies from: subtropical and always sunny in the extreme north, dry and arid in the Atacama north desert, mild, pleasant and Mediterranean in the fertile central valley, cool, temperate and rainy climate in the southern region, mild and rainy in the Patagonia and permanent covered with ice and snow in the Antarctic region.

Chile inhabits some 15 millions people, the majority of whom are "mestizos", a mixed Spanish and Mapuche ancestry. Only about 150,000 pure blooded Mapuche Indians live in the southern forest land. 

German, French, Italian, British, Yugolav and Swiss immigrants settled in different location of the country specially influencing costumes and characters in the southern territory. About 90% of the population is Roman Catholic, but there are also other religions, including Latherans, Jews, Presbyterians, Mormons and Pentecostals.

DMC Companies

(the links below will open a new window and bring you to another website)

• DMC Chile
• Sportstour

Summary|Santiago